Panel board



H. G. BAXTER PANEL BOARD Nov. 7, 1939.

Filed May 22, 1957 INVENTOR fivhfiaxr ESSES:

Patented Nov. 7, 1939 UNlTED STATES PATENT OFFHCE PANEL BOARD Pennsylvania Application May 22, 1937, Serial No. 144,173

2 Claims.

My invention relates, generally, to panel boards and more particularly to panel boards having a plurality of individually operable devices disposed in a cabinet for controlling a number of electri- 5 cal circuits such as the lighting circuits in an office building.

Panel boards of this type are usually constructed with the automatic circuit breakers, or other devices for controlling the branch circuits, ar-

ranged in two or more vertical rows with the main power conductors disposed in a space between the two rows of circuit breakers or switch housings. A cover plate is provided for the space containing the power conductors which is secured to the switch housings after the switch terminals have been connected to the power conductors, thereby concealing and protecting the conductors and the terminal connections. It is customary to designate the branch circuits controlled by the individual switches, by numerals, or other suitable markings which are visible from in front of the panel board, in order that the circuits which are energized may be readily determined.

An object of my invention, generally stated, is

to provide a panel board which shall be simple in construction, pleasing in appearance, and which may be readily and economically manufactured and installed.

A more specific object or" the invention is to provide for concealing the heads of the screws, or other fastening means, utilized to secure the central cover plates to the circuit breaker or switch housings.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple and efiicient method of retaining the numerals, or other circuit designations, in their correct positions on a panel board or other apparatus.

Other objects of the invention will be explained 49 fully hereinafter or will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, the head of the screw utilized to fasten the center cover plate to a breaker housing in a panel board structure is concealed by a resilient number tab or disc that is held securely in place by projections thereon which slip into slots recessed from the back of the cover plate. The number tab may be sprung into place by so bend- 59 ing it that the projections, which are on two opposite sides of the tab, are inserted into the diametrically opposite slots. In this manner the number tab is prevented from falling out and exposing the head of the screw and the number 5 tab is also utilized to designate the circuit controled by the breaker or switch over which it is placed.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference may be had to the following detailed description, taken in con- 5 junction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a view, in plan, of a cover plate constructed in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view, in section, showing 10 a portion of the cover plate secured in position on a portion of the housing of a circuit breaker or other circuit controlling device;

Fig. 3 is likewise an enlarged view, in section, showing an indicating or number tab in position 15 over the retained screw, and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view, in plan, of a portion of the cover plate with the indicating tab secured in position over the head of the screw.

Referring now to the drawing, a cover plate 20 ill, which may be molded or otherwise constructed from any suitable material, is provided with rectangularly shaped recessed openings I! having countersunk holes 12 disposed at the bottom of said openings for receiving flat-headed screws I3 5 to secure the cover plate ill to one end of a housing l4 of a circuit breaker or other circuit controlling device, only a portion of which is shown.

As shown in Fig. 1, the openings I l are disposed near the ends of the cover plate It, thereby per- 0 mitting one end of each plate to be secured to the ends of oppositely disposed circuit breakers which, as explained hereinbefore, are arranged in vertical rows with a space provided therebetween for the power conductors to which termi- 35 nals of the circuit breakers are connected. The center cover plate ll is utilized to conceal and protect the power conductors and the terminal connections for both rows of circuit breakers.

With a view to concealing the heads of the 40 screws l3 thereby improving the appearance of the panel board, and also providing a means of indicating the circuits which the individual circuit breakers control, I have provided an indicating or number tab i5, which may be composed of any 5 suitable resilient material, for insertion in each one of the openings ll over the head of the screw 53 after the screw is in position.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 4, the top surface of the indicating tab i5 contains a numeral or other suitable designation for indicating the branch circuit controlled by the circuit breaker on which the indicating tab is mounted.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, recessed slots 56 are disposed at opposite sides of the rectangular 55 opening ii for receiving the edges of the indicating tab l which, as shown in Fig. 4, may be provided with ears ll disposed on opposite sides of the rectangular tabs for insertion in the slots it to retain the tab in position over the screw.

The method of inserting the tab in position is illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 from which it may be seen that the tab may be sprung into position by so bending the tab that the ears I! are started through the slots H5 at the bottom of the opening I I. After the ears are started into the slots 16, the tab [5 may be released, and the ears ii are projected through the slots IB underneath the edges of the opening H to retain the tab in its correct position. If it becomes necessary to remove the tab in order to remove the screw 13, the tab may be raised by inserting a pin, or other suitable device, underneath an edge of the tab which is not provided with an ear l1, and prying the tab out of the slots I6.

While I have illustrated rectangular openings l I in the cover plate '10 and rectangular indicating tabs, it will be understood that openings and tabs of other shapes, such as circular, may be utilized if desired. Furthermore, the shape of the projections H provided on the tabs for retaining them in position is immaterial.

From the foregoing description, it is apparent that I have provided a simple and efficient means for concealing the screws for securing a cover plate in position on a panel board or other structure, thereby improving the general appearance of the panel board. I have also provided an efiective means of retaining the indicating tabs in their correct position on a panel board for designating the electrical circuits controlled by the respective circuit controlling devices, thereby preventing these indicating tabs from becoming removed from their position as has been frequently experienced with prior structures.

Since numerous changes may be made in the above described construction, and different embodiments of the invention may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the foregoing description or shown in the accompanying drawing 'shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim as my invention:

1. In'a panel board structure, in combination, a cover plate, a fiat-headed screw for securing the cover plate in position, and a removable indicatingtab composed of resilient material for concealing the screw, said indicating tab having a pair of ears disposed at opposite sides thereof, said cover plate having a recessed opening therein with a countersunk hole at the bottom of said opening for receiving the head of the screw and slots disposed at opposite sides of the opening for receiving the ears on the indicating tab, one dimension of said tab being less than the corresponding dimension of said opening, whereby the tab may be sprung into position over the screw and removed therefrom without injury thereto.

2. In a panel board structure, in combination, a cover plate, a flat-headed screw for securing the cover plate in position, and a removable rectangular number tab composed of resilient material for concealing the screw, said cover plate having a rectangular recessed opening therein with a countersunk hole at the bottom of said opening for receiving the head of the screw and recessed slots disposed at opposite sides of the opening, said number tab having a pair of ears disposed on opposite sides thereof for in-- serting into said slots to retain the tab in position over said screw, one dimension of said tab being less than the corresponding dimension of said opening, whereby said tab may be removed without injury thereto.

HAROLD G. BAXTER. 

